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           LetusthenhopethatthisMohicanmaynotdisappointourwishes,butprove,whathislooksasserthimtobe,abraveandconstantfriend."

           "NowMajorHeywardspeaksasMajorHeywardshould,"saidCora;"who,thatlooksatthiscreatureofnature,rememberstheshadeofhisskin!"

           Ashort,andapparentlyanembarrassedsilencesucceededthisremark,whichwasinterruptedbythescoutcallingtothem,aloud,toenter.

           "Thisfirebeginstoshowtoobrightaflame,"hecontinued,astheycomplied,"andmightlighttheMingostoourundoing.Uncas,droptheblanket,andshowtheknavesitsdarkside.ThisisnotsuchasupperasamajoroftheRoyalAmericanshasarighttoexpect,butI’veknownstoutdetachmentsofthecorpsgladtoeattheirvenisonraw,andwithoutarelishtoo.Here,yousee,wehaveplentyofsalt,andcanmakeaquickbroil.There’sfreshsassafrasboughsfortheladiestositon,whichmaynotbeasproudastheirmy-hog-guineachairs,butwhichsendsupasweeterflavorthantheskinofanyhogcando,beitofGuinea,orbeitofanyotherland.Come,friend,don’tbemournfulforthecolt;’twasaninnocentthing,andhadnotseenmuchhardship.Itsdeathwillsavethecreaturemanyasorebackandwearyfoot!"

           Uncasdidastheotherhaddirected,andwhenthevoiceofHawkeyeceased,theroarofthecataractsoundedliketherumblingofdistantthunder.

           "Arewequitesafeinthiscavern?"demandedHeyward."Istherenodangerofsurprise?Asinglearmedman,atitsentrance,wouldholdusathismercy."